Highway and bridge contractors lost 2,100 workers in March 2018 compared to March 2017, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the first March decline in the past five years.
Despite this contraction of less than 1%, the general construction industry saw employment rise by 3.4% over the same time period. Highway, street and bridge construction and other heavy construction were the only construction sectors that saw declines in March.
Employees in both highway, street and bridge construction and the general construction industry are earning more per hour than they did last year. Average March hourly wages rose by 2% for our industry and by 4% for the general construction industry, compared to March 2017. On average, highway, street and bridge contractors are earning $26.58 per hour, slightly less than the $27.29 average wage for the general construction industry.
